HISTORY

The LP640 is the car Lamborghini was never supposed to make. Three years ago, the company decided that the Murciélago’s thunderous 6.2-litre V12 engine had had its day and therefore needed replacing by an all-new powerplant. At the same time, an all-new car would be required in which to house the new V12. Which meant the big, bad Lamborghini as we knew it would be no more. Understandably, this was not a view held universally by the staff at Lamborghini. Some of the engineers reckoned that, having evolved the V12 so effectively since the ’60s (it first appeared in the Miura in 1967), there was no reason why they couldn’t cajole it into one last great performance. So they started work. Two-and-a-half years later, and in the face of some stiff internal opposition who claimed the old V12 had too much vibration and nowhere near enough refinement to cut it in 2006, the LP640 was born. Its V12 engine was indeed yet another version of the original Lamborghini motor, this time stretched to 6.5 litres and featuring everything from a new crank and heads to a completely revised intake system and no fewer than four new ECUs. And in styling terms it was very much business as usual. And therefore very much the business, as usual. The name of the car – LP640 – is a direct reference to the engine itself. L stands for longitudinale, P for positore (longitudinal position), while the 640 tells you how much power it has (640ps, or 631bhp). In case you were wondering, that’s 51bhp more than before and, as anyone who has ever driven a Murciélago will tell you, poke was not something this car was ever short of. All this comes at a price, of course, and in the LP640’s case that means £190,000. Compared with a Ferrari F430 that seems wildly expensive, but compared with a Mercedes SLR McLaren (which the LP640 is significantly quicker than where it counts) it’s a bargain. You pays your money…


Design & engineering
At the heart of the LP640 lies its engine. The 6.5-litre motor is a version of the chain-driven quad-cam V12 first used in the Miura. Having supposedly reached its zenith in the original Murciélago, Lamborghini’s powertrain engineers have stretched the capacity to 6496cc and replaced almost everything that moves, including the crank, heads, oil system and valves. There are new intake and exhaust systems, a revised cooling system and four new ECUs. The main brief – other than to give it more power – was to reduce vibration and improve mechanical refinement. Just drink in these numbers: 631bhp at 8000rpm, 486lb ft at 6000rpm, 1850kg and 357bhp per tonne. That’s sufficient, says Lamborghini, to send the LP640 to 60mph in 3.4sec and to a top speed of “over 203mph”. We know it’ll do more than this, having done 206mph in a 6.2-litre Murciélago. It’s safe to assume the LP640 will get close to its rev limiter in sixth, which equates to 209mph before tyre expansion is taken into account. Call it 210mph. The Murciélago is four-wheel drive. In normal driving the torque split is 70/30 in favour of the rear but, in bursts, the LP640 can become 100 per cent rear-drive. Lamborghini has also carried out tweaks to the chassis, some electronic, some aerodynamic, some mechanical. All are designed to sharpen the car’s character and make it more comforting on long journeys. So not only have the electronic dampers been modified, but there are also different springs, bigger anti-roll bars, bigger driveshafts and a beefier rear differential. As standard the LP640 comes with a six-speed manual box. However, the test car was fitted with optional and improved e-gear. In essence, e-gear is a paddle-operated manual - there’s no automatic mode (which in our experience is a good sign). Braking is by steel discs at each corner, and there have been tweaks to the anti-lock and ABD systems. In the case of the test car there were also carbon ceramic discs fitted (a £7780 extra).


On the road


The LP640 is quieter and more refined than its predecessor, and there’s less engine vibration. You’d almost say it’s civilised. However, it is still a monster. Yet to get the most out it you need to rev the engine quite hard. The key figure is torque: 486lb ft at 6000rpm. This explains why it doesn’t feel as rabid as you’d expect. Even so, 50-70mph in top takes only just over five seconds. But what you really want to do is nail it to the red line, because only then do you release the full fury of this extraordinary engine. Make sure there’s plenty of road to play with first, however, because when the LP640 takes off it almost has the ability to bend time. We clocked 3.5sec to 60mph, a tenth slower than Lambo's claim. Even so, the LP640 is something else. To reach 100mph it needs less than eight seconds, and to clock 150mph 17.0sec, three seconds faster than a 911 Turbo. The standing quarter mile comes in 11.8sec, with a terminal speed of 125mph. That puts the LP640 as close to the McLaren F1 as anything we’ve tested (excluding the Bugatti Veyron). The LP640 is also a remarkably competent tourer, generating far less din than of old from its tyres and gearbox, let alone engine. Other than the space restrictions of the cabin and the near total absence of luggage area, you could happily drive this car to the south of France. The gearbox also works far better than before, blipping the throttle quickly and accurately on downshifts and smoothing away upshifts superbly. Fitted with the carbon ceramic discs of the test car, the LP640 also stops every bit as well as it goes. Lamborghini’s engineers have done a fine job. They have made the Murcielago ride better, steer better, handle more incisively and generally instil more confidence and less terror in the mind of its driver. But it still feels like a very big and very intimidating car to drive on most UK roads. Ultimately that’s mainly down to size. Steering lock also remains awful.


Living with the car
In a way it’s a pity the LP640 doesn’t have more luggage space, because if it did it would make a highly effective GT car. But in reality this is still a toy for special occasions, and treated as such its near total absence of stowage space becomes less of a problem. What is less easy to forgive is the lack of space for occupants. Any one much over six feet tall is going to struggle to get comfortable behind the wheel, which is an absurd state of affairs considering how much road area the car occupies. If you’re the right size, however, the LP640 is actually quite snug once you’ve managed to ensconce yourself, and it’s certainly beautifully made inside. Having said that, the test car did suffer from one incredibly annoying creak caused, we suspect, by the door seals rubbing on the new carbonfibre sills. The seats have also been redesigned and now feature new leather with a lozenge-type design that looks and feels decidedly retro-chic. Visibility is as bad as ever out of the louvred rear window and, disappointingly, the new sat-nav system fitted to the test car is optional. Only in Japan, apparently, does sat-nav come as standard. You don’t buy a car like the LP640 and then worry about fuel consumption or, come to think of it, any other running costs. But, for the record, it did 8.7mpg at the test track and 12.3mpg overall. One cost that might prove significant, on the other hand, is depreciation. Until supply exceeds demand, it is likely that these cars will change hands at a premium, but expect values to fall pretty quickly when the tide turns. Traditionally, Lamborghinis tend to be more prone to depreciation than the equivalent Ferrari, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.

Verdict - 4.5 out of 5

As car enthusiasts we find it hard not to fall for a car with as many charms as the LP640. Yes, it costs a heinous amount of money and occupies a ludicrous amount of road space. But it’s also one of the most exciting road cars we’ve ever driven — not as fast as a Bugatti Veyron, perhaps, but more characterful in its way, and more appealing overall. We love it, warts and all.



How much?
Price when new £190,000
Price as tested £218,537

How fast?
0-30mph 1.8 sec
0-60mph 3.5 sec
0-100mph 7.8 sec
0-150mph no data
0-200mph no data
30-70mph 2.8 sec
0-400m 11.8/125 sec/mph
0-1000m 21.5/164 sec/mph
30-50mph in 3rd/4th 2.8/4.3 sec
40-60mph in 4th/5th 3.6/4.4 sec
50-70mph in 5th 4.3 sec
60-0mph no data
Top speed no data
Noise at 70mph 77 dbA

How thirsty?
Test average 12.3 mpg